Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 3: DIXIE KONG'S DOUBLE TROUBLE!

Donkey Kong Country 3 is the third entry in the revamped Donkey Kong franchise, once again taking the sidekick from the previous game and making them the hero of this game with their own new sidekick. The plot of this game follows Dixie Kong and her younger cousin Kiddy Kong, who she's been tasked with babysitting, as she works to rescue Donkey and Diddy, both of whom have now been kidnapped by Baron K. Roolenstein (King K. Rool in a labcoat).

Much like the previous two games, Dixie and Kiddy function on much the same mechanics as the previous games, running, jumping, picking things up and throwing them, using barrel cannons, bouncing on tires, and so on. Dixie Kong's prehensile ponytail also returns, allowing her to flick enemies and float through the air. Kiddy Kong returns the series to having a distinct physical difference in size between the two main characters, Kiddy Kong being large and strong as compared to Dixie. A few new mechanics include the ability to hang from hooks and so on, fly in a rocket barrel across great distances, and travel across the world map in a boat and plane supplied by Funky Kong. Donkey and Diddy do appear in the game, though mostly in cutscenes held captive inside the robot KAOS.

We have a few supporting characters returning this time. Cranky appears as your opponent in a mini-game run by Swanky Kong, where he and the player throw rocks at targets to win prizes. Wrinkly Kong is now retired and works out while saving your game for you. Funky Kong supplies you with the boat and plane needed to traverse the world map (meaning both can be attributed to him as well as our heroes). We are also introduced to a family of bears who run shops around the map, and a giant banana bird who will break free from her containment once you've collected enough small banana birds and will take out K. Rool for you (I smell Final Smash fodder).

A new and returning set of Animal Buddies help you out this time. Enguarde, Squitter, Squawks, and Quawks all return and function the same as they had in the previous game, with an elephant named Ellie replacing Rambi, being able to pick things up with her trunk and spit water alongside the standard charging, and Parry, a colorful bird who mimics your actions. All things considered so far, I think most of the Animal Buddies are far more suited to being Assist Trophies than fighters, especially since in game they seem to be almost the original basis for the concept of Assist Trophies as a whole.

King K. Rool dons a labcoat and jetpack this time around, calling himself Baron K. Roolenstein. During his own boss fights, he will hover around with a jetpack-propeller thing that serves as the basis of his current Up B, while throwing fireballs down at you and using electricity to zap you. In cutscenes, he is also shown controlling the robot KAOS, who initially acts as the main villain. KAOS will float around in his boss battles, blowing fire at you and spinning razor blades around its body. Eventually its head will detach and shoot lasers at you, dropping bombs from it.

The Kremlings also return, once again having completely different names for the exact same thing. Kobbles are the new Kritters, though they're suddenly called Skidda if they happen to slip on some ice, and Re-Koils are the new Kaboings. Krimps replace the Klaptraps, and Krumples are the new Krushas. Kuff n' Klouts may be the new Klumps, but they like to jump like Kaboings. Knockas replace Klobbers as the Kremlings hiding in barrels, unless they're in dynamite barrels, then they're Krackas. If they throw things from their barrels, then they're Kuchukas, and if they hang from ropes, then they're Klasps. A few new types include Koins and Koindozers who hold shields to protect them from attack, Kopters who spin propellers to fly up and down, Bazukas who carry around giant barrel launchers, and Kroc, a sniper who targets you from afar all throughout certain levels.

As for our more basic enemies: Sneeks replace Neeks, Buzzes replace Zingers, Knik-Knaks replace Click-Clacks, Bristles replace Spinies, and Kocos, Nibblas, Bazzas, Bounty Basses, and Gleamin' Breams take over as the various fish species of the game. Lurchins (clams combined with urchins) and Missile Shells also fill the waters. Booty Birds are fat birds that drop items, Swoopies fly back and forth, and Karbines carry fireball-shooting cannons. Lemguins are penguins who slide on their bellies, Minkeys are little monkeys that cling to walls and throw acorns, and Nids are bouncing spiders hiding under platforms.

As for our bosses, we have Belcha, a giant barrel that spits up smaller barrels filled with Knik-Knaks; Arich, a giant spider that dangles from a web and spits poison; Squirt, a giant . . . crab? who lives behind a waterfall who spits out jets of water; Bleak, a snowman who throws snowballs and fires them from his hat; and Barbos, a giant Lurchin who spawns other Lurchins and shoots out his spikes.

Once again, the game is split up into various worlds with a handful of stages within, and though each world technically has its own theme, the stages within tend to just kinda do whatever they want. Lake Orangatanga is mostly a lakeside water-themed area, Kremwood Forest is a forest area, Cotton-Top Cove is mostly cliff and waterfall-themed worlds, Mekanos is a factory world, K3 is a snowy region, Razor Ridge is another cliff and waterfall area, KAOS Kore is a factory/castle themed area, and Krematoa is a volcano region.

Of course, bananas, barrels, coins, and tires all return, with banana birds being added in to the mix, as well as the boat and plane used by Dixie and Diddy in their travels.

All right, let's see what we've got so far:

Characters:
Donkey Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels
Diddy Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, throw Dixie, dynamite
Dixie Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, throw Diddy, dynamite, flick with hair, fly with ponytail, hang from hook, rocket barrel, boat, plane, throw rocks
Kiddy Kong: run, jump, roll, swing, launch from barrels, bounce on tires, swim, ride minecarts, throw barrels, hang from hook, rocket barrel, boat, plane, throw rocks
Cranky Kong: walking stick, dynamite, hints, museum, throw rocks
Candy Kong: save
Funky Kong: airplane, boat
Wrinkly Kong: college, hints, save, workout
Swanky Kong: quiz show, extra balloons, target mini-game
King K. Rool: throw crown, charge, jump high, cannonballs, blunderbuss, suck, various items, propeller jetpack, fireballs, electricity, KAOS
Kremlings/Kritter: walk forward (Klomp/Kobble), jump (Kaboing/Re-Koil), ride minecart (Krash/Klank), Krusha/Kruncha/Krumple (maybe his own), Klump/Kannon/Kuff n' Klout? (maybe his own, blunderbuss, jump), hide in barrel (Klobber/Knocka/Kracka/Kuchuka/Klasp), climb ropes (Klinger), Kutlass, Krook, Kloak, Kackle, Klubba, Koin, Kopter, Bazuka
Animal Buddies:
Rambi: charge forward, jump
Enguarde: swim, stab
Expresso: jump, run fast, glide
Winky: leap
Squawks: fly, flashlight, carry Kongs, peanuts
Rattly: bounce
Squitter: crawl, spit webs, walk on webs
Clapper: cool things
Glimmer: flashlight
Quawks: fly, carry Kongs
Ellie: charge, jump, pick up barrels, squirt water
Parry: mimic

Bosses:
Very Gnawty
Master Necky
Queen B
Really Gnawty
Dumb Drum
Master Necky Sr.
Krow
Kleever
Kudgel
King Zing
Kreepy Krow
Belcha
Arich
Squirt
Bleak
Barbos
KAOS

Stages:
Jungle Level
Forest/Trees Level
Mine/Cave Level
Underwater Level
Snow Level
Factory Level
Gangplank Galleon
Volcano Level
Theme Park Level
Ghostly Level
Bramble/Hive Level
K. Rool's Keep
Flying Krock
Cliff/Waterfall Level
KAOS Core

Items:
Barrels
Barrel Cannons
Bananas
Banana Coins
Tires
Banana Birds
Cogs
Presents
Boat
Plane

Thanks for reading! Next time, we'll cover Donkey Kong 64!